Acetylene-gas genebator



May 20, mM

H. CQMPTON AGETYLENE GAS GENERATOR original Fild Aug. s. i921 Afef 7077hf 50777/5727777 Patented May 20, 1924. i

UNITED STATES 1,441,512 PATENT oFFic.

MARION' H. COMPTON, OF MUSCATINE, IOWA.

AoE'rYLnNnGAs GENERATOR.

Original application led August 3, 1921,'Seria1 No. 489,586. Divided andthis application led December 9, 1,922. `Serial No.` 605,854.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it lnown that I, MARIONv H. COMPTON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Muscatine, in the countyof Muscatine and State of Iowa, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Acetylene-GasGenerators, of which the following is a specification, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings. y

This invention relates to acetylene gas generators of that type whereina container or casing is provided having a spout at its lower end, witha gas bell disposed above the water and carbide receptacle containedwithin the gas bell and operated by the gas bell to cause the dischargeof carbide into the water at the lowerv end of the container, such a gasgenerator being illustrated in my pending application for patent, SerialNo. 489,586, of August-3, 1921, of which application this is a division.i

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a generator of thischaracter comprising an outer casing and a hollow vpedestal disposedentirely withiny the casingand removably supported thereon, thispedestal providing a strong, convenient and substantial support for thecarbide ycontainer and increasing the gas capacity of the machine.

A further object is to so construct this pedestal as to `provide asealing compartment exterior to the pedestal having sealing liquidtherein and in which the lower portion of the usual gas bell isdisposed.

Another object is to mount upon l the.

pedestal a gas discharge pipe having in `its length a water filter ortrap and means being provided whereby the moisture collected inthefilter shall be carried back into the main reservoir. i t

Other objects will appear in the course of the following description.

The figure is a vertical sectional Vview of an acetylene gas generatorconstructed in accordance with ymy invention.

Referring -to this drawing, lOdesignates the outer casing of thegenerator, `which may be any desired length and` diameter, the lower endof this casing being formed to provide a lrelatively deepinverted cone11. Above the tapered lower end of the casing there is providedanupwardly and inwardly extending flange 12, which atA its lower marginis riveted or otherwise attached to the wall of the casing. The top ofthe casing is closed by aremovable cap orcover y13. The casing, asillustrated, is designed to be disposed beneath the ground, the groundlevel being indicatedby the dotted line a so that only the cap 13 isabove the ground. This cap 13 is, of course, provided with suitablehandles whereby it may be removed and under normal circumstances islocked or otherwise attached to the casing so that it cannot beunauthorizedlyremoved. v

Disposed ywithin the upper portion of the casing 10 and resting upon theflange 12 is anannular support or rpedestal 14, ythe lower portion ofwhich is downwardly and outwardly flared at 15, and the lower margin ofthis portion rests upon the flange 12. It will be noted from the figurethat the angle of theflange l12 is slightly greater than the angle p ofthe flared portion 15 so that a wedging fit is secured between the lowermargin of the face 15 and the outer face 12, thus` `securing a tightjoint between these parts. p The upper portion ofthe pedestal 14 is ofuniform` diameter and double-walled so as to provide an outer wall 416,between which andthe inner `wall an annular sealing space 17 is formedwhich is to be filled with water or "other `.liquid up to any desiredornecessarvllevel. AAbove the level of the water within. this sealingspace the pedestal is formed. on its inner wallwith the perforations 18`whereby gas generated within the generating chamber may escape into thebel. l.

` Disposed inthe upper portion of the casing 10 is a gas bell 19havingits lower por` tion disposed within the sealing compartment n17'.It willbe obvious that this bell will rise and. fall in accordance withthe amountof `gastontained within ythe bell. The perforations 18 permit4the gas to pass from the interior of the pedestal to the in terior ofthe bell. The top ofthe bell has a handle 20 .whereby it may be manuallyraised. I`Preferabrly the upper edge of the wall y16.extendsfinward at16a toward the wall of the .gas bell. t

,\Disposed.within the gas bell and supportedby the upper end ofthe innerwall of the pedestal 14 is a` carbide `container ydesignated 21. Thelower end of this conf taineris hopper.shaped at 22. The upper end ofthe container is. preferably open. A seat 22?l is,l y,formed at .theupper. margin of che, ink, he p the hopper-shaped `portion 2 2, theupper end of the inner wall of the pedestal resting within this seat sothat the carbide container 21 is properly centered with're's'pect to thecasing 10. Obviously there is no necessity of having a gas-tight jointat this point for the reason that any gas which may escape between theinner wall of the pedestal and the carbide container 21 will pass intothe bell. Inasmuch as the bottom of the carbide container has the formofan invertedcone, it is obvious that the carbide container will be guidedinto position as the carbide container is lowered onto the pedeetal. ldo notwish to b e limited in this resent case to any particular formofcarb'iifefeeding means. `I have. ilhistrated,t however, part;r of thecarbide feeding` meane', which shown in my. co-pendingapp-licatioinerial No. 489,586, beforlfeferred td Insthis construction vthe lower endjof the: .hoppershaped portion 22 .ofthe carbidecmtaiiier21 is formed. with l'terally 4 ezrteriding chute 23 having side wallsand; front and rear walls, thabQttQm-M .f thi-.. @hue exe tendingdownward toward the open lower end thereof.v l 4 Pivotally mounted.betweenthe side. Walls is the valve 25 which vis crescent-'shaped incross section to provide a downwardly curved portion 26 anda reverselycurved portion 27. The chute has afront wall 28, with the lower edge. ofAwhichqth'e pore tion 27 of the valve coacts. When the valve is in theposition vshowiriil..the figure,

the hollowinterior of the 'valve isi1 open to receive carbide from thechute.` i, The ,valie 25' is formed with anarm; 30 and when ,tjhie` arm,is drawn upward thevalvewill rotate so that the portion v27 willfca'usevtheopening between the walls .24,and 2 8, while the interiorof thevalve will dischargedownf ward, thus discharging a certain amount ofcarbide into the water.

In order to operate this valve,- I provide operating meansA disposedwithin a Ihousing 31 in the mainwcarbide container 2 1.` The operatingmechanism comprises a` vpair of supporting bars 32, and; a lever 33pivoted at 34tbetweensaid rsupportingvbrs, this lever being connected bya link 3,5 t o the extremity ofthe ari-ri 30,v The inner end of thelever is pivotally, connected to avertioally extendingr'o'd 36 eigtendsthrough the housing. 3l, throiigh the upper Open, end, ,of the carbidechifrriba. and pref? era'bly extends downwardthronghthe lewer end ofthe. housing andterr`riiriates` in a tapered extremity ,locatediinledately Outer. er1-fl of the lever .33 Car'r'ie al, 37 holdsV that8nd.0f ,thl downward, ,thus` caus t If the g-as in the gas bell becomesreduced in quantity, the gas bell will fall and 'the upper end of thegas bell will strike the upper end of rod 36, depressing this rod, thuslifting the weight 37 and the link 35, lifting arm 30 and permitting thedischarge ofl carbide from the valve into the generator. When thedischarged carbide causes the generation of a certain amount of gas, thebell rises and as soon as it has risen a certain distance the weight 3Twill again act to cause the valve to return to the position `shown inthe ligure. The lower end of rod 36 acts to break up the carbide at thelower end ofthe container.

lhav'e shown one form of feeding mechanisin, but I donot wish to belimited to this particular form, as it is obvious that the improvementswhich are claimed in this present application need not be associated Ywith a. carbide feed mechanism of the chareter-d1iscl0sed- A Supportedlongitudinally within the casing 41Q andbetween the gas bell and thesealingwall 17 is a gas discharge pipe J 3 8, the lower end of whichextends vinto the water contained in the casing 10 above the flange 12.VThus the upper end of this pipe 38 has a branch39 extending out of thecasing. Disposed in the length of the pipe 38 is a filter 4:0,v andconnected to the v lower end of the pipe 38 and preferably passing belowthe sealing chamber 1 7y is a branch 41, which after passing through theinner wall of the pedestal, extends upward into a. position just belowthe hopper-shaped portion 22 and` isthen downwardly bent to form aninlet `terminal 4:2,` Vhen there is an ezfcess of gas, that is when agreateramount of gas' is vgenerated than is being drawn o if through thepipe 39, the gas will pass upward throughthe openings 18 yinto the gasbell and the gas bell will rise, as before stated. When, however, lessgas is being generated than is being used, the gas bell will fall,forcing the gas back through the openings 18 into the upper portion ofthe pedestal and this gas will pass through the inlet 4 2 and sooutthrough Vthe outlet 39. The filter will cause all moisture and foreignmatter to be subtracted from the gas and this moisture will drain backinto the,sea li 1'1gl space surrounding the flange 12.

In order toreinovewater from this sealingv space which surrounds theange 12 and sunro'unds thelower end of the pedestal, a drlwlofopngclosed by a plug 43 maybe provided and water maybe drawn frointhesealing space 17 .by opening the plug 44 in the outer wall ofthissealing Snace.l,., 1, t,

v theoparati on of thisconstruc'tion, the lower portion of thercontaineris filled with water to a' point above the upper edge of the flange 12and preferably above the lower margin of the downwardly fiared conicalportion 15 of the pedestal. Thus the `joint between the portions 15 and12 is beneath the water, thus preventing gas from passing around thepedestal or through the joint between the pedestal and the flange 12into the casing 10. Of course, the carbide chamber is to be lled withcarbide and upon a depression of the bell 19 the apparatus will begin tofunction by discharging carbide into the water, thus generating gas,which will lift the bell 19 to its normal `position and the valve willthus be closed. When the gas pressure diminishes, however, the bell 19will lower, striking the upper end of the rod 36 and causing thedischarge of carbide into the water. If it be desired to clean or repairthe parts, it is only necessary to talle off the cap 13, whereupon thebell19 may be entirely removed. This discloses the carbide container andthe carbide container may be filled with carbide or may be also entirelyremoved. It is not necessary to remove the pedestal 14 nor withdraw thewater within the sealing space 17 or the water exterior to the portions12 and 15. When sludge is to be removed, a pipe is inserted downwardthrough the casing so that the lower end of the pipe is adjacent thelower extremity of the tapered portion 11 and the sludge may then bepumped off without removing but little of the water within the generatorand with but a minimum disturbance of this water. desired to remove thepedestal also, this may be readily done by lifting it off the flange 12.

It will be seen that my pedestal is so constructed that it provides achamber containing water separate and distinct from the main tank, saidchamber providing a water seal for the lower end of the gas bell. It isalso to be noted that the pedestal is so constructed that it provides aspace for the pipe 38, which pipe is provided with a water filter ortrap draining back into the water between the parts 12 and 15 and theouter wall of the casing 10. Preferably the upper end of the pipe 38 isprovided with a gas cock 45 whereby air may be vented when puttinggenerator into operation after recharging.

It will be seen that there is a dead air space formed between the wallof the casing 1() and the wall 16 and between the casing 10 and the gasbell which prevents the gas bell seal from freezing.

I claim 1. An acetylene gas generator comprising an outer casing, apedestal seat attached to the inner face of the casing and `extendingupward and inward therefrom, a pedestal annular in cross sectiondisposed within the casing and having its lower end detachably restingupon and engaging the seat, said pedestal being formed to provide aliquid Of course, if it be holding sealing compartment within the outercasing and spaced therefrom, and a gas bell having its lower portiondisposed within the `sealing compartment.

2. A gas generator of the character described comprising an outer`casing adapted torcontain water in its lower portion `and having anupwardly andfinwardlyy extending flange disposed below the water leveland constituting a pedestal seat, a pedestal annular in cross sectionand flared at its lower end to detachably rest upon the exterior face ofsaidflange, said pedestal above the flared lower end being formed toprovide an annular sealing compartment within the outer casing andspaced therefrom, and a gas bell disposed within the casing and havingits lower y'portion disposed within the Y sealing compartment. r

3. An acetylene gas generator comprising an outer casing adapted tocontain water and having an upwardly and inwardly extending fiangeconstituting a, pedestal seat, the upper end of said flangebeingdisposed `below the normal water level in the casing, a pedestalannular in cross section disposed within the casing and having its loweredge downwardly and outwardly flared to restr loosely and detachablyupon the upperfa'ce' of said flange, said pedestal above the flaredportion having an outer wall defining a sealing compartment adapted tohold sealing liquid,

said o-uter wall being disposed within the outer casing and spacedtherefrom, the upper portion of the pedestal being formed to provide anannular seat, and a carbide container removably disposed within thepedestal and detachably resting upon said seat.

4. An acetylene gas generator comprising an outer casing adapted tocontain water at its lower end and having an upwardly and inwardlyprojecting fiange whose lower edge is disposed below the normal waterlevel in the casing and constituting a pedestal seat, a pedestal havingan outwardly and downwardly flaring lower portion loosely resting uponsaid flange and ,being disposed within the water exterior tothe flange,the pedestal being annular in cross section and extending upward in thecasing and spaced therefrom, the pedestal being formed to provide anannular sealing compartment above its flared lower portion disposedinward of and in spaced relation to the outer casing, a gas bell havingits lower portion disposed within the sealing compartment, carbidefeeding mechanism carried by the pedestal and disposed within the gasbell, and a gas outlet pipe carried by the pedestal between the wall ofthe pedestal and the wall of the tank, said outlet pipe having a filterin its length and at its lower end draining into the space between thetank and th pedestal supporting flange.

5. An acetylene gas generator comprising an outer casing adapted tocontain water at its lower end and having an upwardly and inwardlyprojecting flange whose lower edge is disposed below the normal waterlevel in the casing and constituting a pedestal seat, a pedestal havingan outwardly and downwardly flaring lower portion resting loosely uponsaid flange and being disposed within the water exterior to the flange,the pedestal being annular in cross section and extending upward in thecasingand spaced therefrom, the pedestal being formed to provide anannular sealing compartment above its flared lower portion within andspaced from the outer casing, a gas bell having its lower portiondisposed within the sealing compartment, carbide feeding mechanismcarried by the pedestal and disposed within the gas bell, a gas outletpipe disposed between the pedestal and the wall of the tank and exteriorto the bell, said outlet pipe extending vertically and at its upperendhaving an outlet branch extending through the wall of the tank, thelower end of said pipe discharging into the space between the pedestalsupporting flange and the tank, there being a filter between said lowerend of the pipe and the discharge branch thereof, and an inlet branch'extending from said pipe inward below the gas bell sealing compartmentof the pedestal and opening into the upper portion of the pedestal.

6. An acetylene gas generator comprising an outer casing adapted tovcontain water at its lower end, a pedestal extending upward within thecasing and supported at its lower end thereon, the pedestal being formedto provide an annular sealing compartment above its lower portion, a gasbell having its lower portion disposed within the sealing compartmentcarbide feeding mechanism carried by the pedestal and disposed withinthe gas bell, a gas outlet pipe disposed between the pedestal andthewall of the tank and exterior to the bell, said outlet pipe extendingvertically and at its upper end having an outlet branch extendingthrough the wall of the tank, the lower end of the pipe discharging intothe space between the pedestal and the tank, there being a filterbetween said lower end of the pipe and the discharge branch thereof, andan inlet branch extending from said pipe inward below the gas bell andthe sealing compartment.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature. v

MARION H. COMPTON.

